Air filters can be used to remove certain pollutants (e.g., chemical compounds, particles) from the air. To remove particles from the air, an air filter can be constructed with a material that allows air to pass through, but restricts some or all particles. Such a material can include a number of pores that are of a smaller size than the particles to be removed. However, many air filters that can remove particles from the air are not able to remove chemical compounds such as, for example, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and/or biological contaminants because the size of the molecules that make up the VOCs and/or biological contaminants, referred to generally herein as VOCs, can allow them to pass through a filter material that is designed to remove particles.
In order to remove chemical compounds, some air filters utilize photocatalytic oxidation (PCO). These air filters can employ an ultraviolet (UV) lamp, which directs UV rays on photocatalyst particles to activate the photocatalyst, producing hydroxyl radicals and super-oxide ions that can react with the chemical compounds to turn them into carbon dioxide and water. Challenges can be associated with the use of UV lamps however, because of their increased energy consumption and maintenance associated with their use.